Stuart Hazell was yesterday imprisoned for life and ordered to serve a minimum
of 38 years for the murder of the 12 year-old schoolgirl Tia Sharp.

The paedophile, 37, avoided a whole life tariff, which would have meant he
could never be released, after a judge at the Old Bailey said he could not
be absolutely sure that the murder was sexually motivated.

There were cries of “yes” from the packed public gallery as the sentence was
handed down. One of Tia’s relatives shouted “beast” as a trembling Hazell
was taken to the cells, while the child’s mother, Natalie Sharp,